Nagaland: Sit-in Protest by Adhoc Teachers for Job Regularisation; Govt Warns of Disciplinary Action

Kohima: Over 1,000 adhoc Nagaland government teachers continued with their sit-in protest here for the second day on Tuesday demanding immediate service regularisation of service even as the Directorate of School Education warned of disciplinary action and also to impose 'no work no pay' rule.

The All Nagaland Adhoc Teachers Group (ANATG)-2015 Batch with 1,166 members appointed to different government schools in the state from 1994 to 2012 staged a demonstration holding placards and banners outside the State Civil Secretariat.

Interacting with journalists the Principal Director of the School Education Directorate, Thavaseelan K claimedthat the members of ANATG-2015 batch are not 'illegal appointees' but were appointed "irregularly without following proper norms" against sanctioned posts at different times.

He, however, also accepted that as per the School Education Department’s norms for service regularisation, the departmental suitability test, verification of documents and interviews were conducted by the government/department for them on May 20 and 22, 2017.

"It is not that we don’t want to help them get regularised but the department and the government is constrained because of the standing order of the Supreme Court and High Court not to regularise any ad hoc appointees," the principal director said.

He claimed that the School Education Department has taken several steps for their service regularisation but the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department had conveyed that as a onetime measure "irregularly appointed employees" who had completed 10 years of continuous service as on April 10, 2006 can be regularised as per Supreme Court judgement.

Hence, the department was advised to identify such employees and only one among the 1,116 had qualified and the teacher’s file is in process for regularisation, he said.

"In consideration of the plight of the teachers on ad hoc service, the government has already granted scale pay with Revision of Pay (RoP) 2010 to them in 2018 in spite of the financial constraints faced by the state," the principal director said.

He said that the department has already conveyed to them to approach the court to vacate its order and once it is done the department will surely recommend regularisation of their service to the state cabinet for a final decision.

The government can consider regularisation of service of ad hoc teachers only with direction from the Supreme Court and High Court, he said.

The principal director, therefore, requested all concerned not to resort to any kind of agitation in this regard and resume their duties with immediate effect.

He said that the period of their absence will be treated as 'dies-non' and the principle of ‘No Work, No Pay’ will be imposed.

The principal director said that disciplinary action will be initiated against the employees as per the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968.

ANATG-2015 Batch spokesperson Bendandgtemsu Ozukum, interacting with media persons, said "they have come from different government schools including some from the far-flung areas and this is the second time we have gathered here demanding for service regularisation".

Terming the directive of the department asking them to go back to duty, or face disciplinary action as "unfortunate", Ozukum said "the ad hoc teachers have no intention of going back but will continue to fight for their 'genuine rights' till it is fulfilled".

The principal director Thavaseelan said that while these teachers are from around 100 government schools, the department has made arrangements so that the regular classes are not impacted.